West African Acquisitions Project

In order to better access materials in West Africa, The Library of Congress has developed an acquisitions pilot with the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC), the West African Research Association (WARA), and the West African Research Center (WARC) in Dakar, Senegal. This collaborative effort with the U.S. research community surveys publishing output in the region and collects materials that are available through purchase, exchange or gift sources.

The West African Acquisition Project began in early 2011. The project’s focus is on the acquisition of materials published in the region in both African and official languages. It is headed up by former deputy director of the Senegalese National Archives, Mr. Atoumane Mbaye, who coordinates the collection work of representatives in ten different countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Togo). Mr. Mbaye holds a Master’s degree in archiving and library science from the Ecole de Bibliothecaires, Archivistes, et Documentalistes, Université Cheikh Anta Diop. Mr. Mbaye’s rich network of colleagues throughout West Africa has been enormously helpful in implementing the project. In addition to his work with the West African Acquisitions Pilot Project, Mr. Mbaye hosts the website SenegalDates.com, a rich resource on Senegal’s history.

Library of Congress West Africa Acquisitions Project:Training Seminar for Country Coordinators

From February 1st through 3rd, the West African Research Center hosted a training workshop for the coordinators from ten West African nations in charge of implementing the US Library of Congress West Africa Acquisitions Project (read more…)